Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-07-08
''And my handkerchief reticule," said

We fulAS aSlSV WIN you papa luat
so much frippery is all nonsense" said
Nell, arranging her veil carefully.
And we are counting on creating
| quite a sensation at Mrs. Lincolns party, .
sail Polly, mischievously, as she picked
out the bow Of her muslin hat strings.
Mr.. Harrison was fairly caught Ia his
own trap, and his own often repeated
words came back to him with rather un.
pleasant force, as he looGed at his da lgh-
tiers in their unbecoming array, and
thought of chaperoning the outlandish
figures through the day.
He had not before realized how proud
he had been of the daughters whose
good taste had made so much of natures
charms, and the scanty supply of pin
money, so grudgingly do.ed out to them.
Not that Mr.. Harris Jn's means necessi-
tated close management; on the contrary,
steadily increasing bank account made
such economy totally unnecessary, but
unfortunately, as riches increased, liber-
ity shriveled and grew less, until Mrs
Harrison actually dreaded to ask him Tor
money to carry on the household, even
upon tho most economical basis.
"You see, papa, I've given up cosmet-
les, aud have to rely on nature and
green veil for a complexion, said Nell,
drawing her veil closely over her face, as
she dropped Polly's arm, and took hcr
fathers in a delightfully."- tilial clasp.
"Ah, Harrison! out for pleasant trip,
eh2' said a fashionable acquaintance, as
they turned into Madison street, looking
quizzi~al.y at the curious figures with a
puzzled air.
es, sir; yes" replied Mr.. Harrison,
stitlly, getting very red; he would have
given months profits if the girls had
been dres ed In the usual "fripperle3.n
AS might have been EXPECTED, the
party was the observed of all observers,
as they passed a ong, and one little street
gamin called out enthusiastically to an
other: "Hi there, Jimmy! see them yer
Kate Greenyways" and MIR. Harrison felt
as if he was the proprietor OF circus, and
would gladly have left them to go alone,
if he could have done so, without
acknowledging himself ANONYMOUSLY
beaten.
In the car it was worse still sly giggles
and whispers greeted them on every
44uhN1 lhOhSAy VI SOulcS, LIlCll uGNudlul-
ances unders.oo that there was some
joke about the matter; but the girls were
seemingly entirely unconscious of the
sensation they were creating, and chatted
and laughed under their monstrous head
gear with all their accustomed vIvacity,
keeping close to their father the while
to check any furtive attempt on his part
to escape to the smoking car.
In the grove, however, it was not so
easy to keep him in surveillance, and after
d nuer he took an umbrella and modify
stalked off to the shade of giant oak,
and stretched himself upon the grass for
a siesta. He had been there but short
time, when couple of gentlemen strolled
along that way, and, seating themselves
on the her side of the tree, entered into
conversation.
"8y the way, Clifford, who are those
gawks over yonder, in the stupendous
millinery"
Mr.. Ha rison turned cold with horror;
the speaker was the returned European,
in whose honor Mrs. Lincoln's party was
given, and whom he had thou ht of in
connection with Nell, who was still heart
whole. 'GaWks 1ndeedV
"Those2" replied the gentleman adj
dressed as Clifford, why they are the
daughters of Mr.. Harrison, the rich mer-
chant"
"Not Chauncy Harrison's daughters ~
rep led the first in voice of anazement.
THE same" replied the other, "and,
as they are usually models of good taste
n nd 7 than, 10
joke at the bottom of their absurd APP
pearance to-day. 1 shrewdly suspect
their father has been giving them cur
tain lecture on the fJIlies OF fashion, and
they are giving him an ocular demonstra-
ton of his own ideas"
''But surely, he has no need to restrict
them in any reasonable desires, " said the
first voice.
"Oh, not" replied the other, "but
they do say he is stingy old bear in his
own family and though the girls appear
neatly and tastefully dressed in public,
my wife tells me that they are obliged
to turn and return and make over as
rigidly as if they were at the very foot
of the ladder, ms cad of at the top"
sits a Same" broke out the younger
man with warmth, ga man don't deserve
a family who will treat them in that
way"
That's true" replied the elder gen
tleman, and his tone had a shade of sad
ness in it. 81 would give all I'm worth,
if had those merry rls to make sun
shine in my quiet home" and he signed,
as he thought of far away cemetery,
where the hopes of lifetime lay buried.
Just here the conversation was inter-
rupted by Kitty, who came tripping
along toward the umbrella on the other
side of the tree; usually her movements
were most graceful, but to- day the Short
Happy drsss persisted in catching on the
tops of her big shoes, in most awkward
manner.
"Why, papa, are you tired of US, that
you get away by yourself2" she asked,
sweetly, as she curled down by his side;
meanwhile the gentlemen had risen, and,
looking at each other with Mortified
faces, had beaten precipitate retreat.
mo, Kitty; no, he replied, in an
unusually gentle tone, and placing
caressing hand on the t i'm waist, "but l
am thinking, so run away dear, please"
and Kitty wisely obeyed.
Yes, he was thinking, and his train of
thought was on a new line, as he pom
dered over and over the words he had
heard, and, somehow, as he weighed his
merry daughters, with their pretty, win
some ways, and their gentle mother in
the baance with his long bank account,
the money side grew wonderfully light,
and he thought with q shudder of what
the world would be to him with even one
of the loved ones taken from him.